The Cerebro-spinal Fluid in the Human Subject. 343 



February 16, 1899. 

 The LORD LISTER, F.R.C.S., D.C.L., President, in the Chair. 



A List of the Presents received was laid on the table, and thanks 

 ordered for them. 



The President announced the acceptance by the Council of a portrait 

 of Lord Kelvin, presented to the Society by Dr. Thorpe, on behalf of 

 a large number of the Fellows. 



The following Papers were read : 



I. "On the Reflex Electrical Effects in Mixed Nerve, and in the 

 Anterior and Posterior Roots." By Miss S. C. M. SOWTON. 

 Communicated by Dr. A. D. WALLER, F.R.S. 



II. " The Characteristic of Nerve." By A. D. WALLER, M.D., F.R.S. 



III. " Observations on the Cerebro-spinal Fluid in the Human Subject." 



By STCLAIR THOMSON, M.D., L. HILL, M.B., and W. D. 

 HALLIBURTON, M.D., F.R.S. 



IV. " The Thermal Deformation of the Crystallised Normal Sulphates 



of Potassium, Rubidium, and Caesium." By A. E. TUTTON, 

 B.Sc. Communicated by Captain ABNEY, F.R.S. 



" Observations on the Cerebro-Spinal Fluid in the Human Subject." 

 By STCLAIR THOMSON, M.D., LEONARD HILL, M.B., and 

 W. D. HALLIBURTON, M.D., F.R.S. Received January 31, 

 Read February 16, 1899. 



One of us (StC. T.) has had under his care for some years a young 

 woman who has suffered from continuous dripping from the nose. The 

 case has not been amenable to any treatment. At first it was thought 

 to be one of nasal hydrorrhcea, but certain characters in the affection 

 convinced the observer that this could not be so, and that the fluid, 

 which dropped from one nostril only, was cerebro-spinal fluid. This 

 was supported by the results of the chemical examination of the fluid. 

 The escape of cerebro-spinal fluid from the nose has long been known 

 to follow traumatic injury to the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone, 

 but the possibility of its spontaneous escape from the nose does not 



